5 Defining Moments: Aljamain Sterling

Aljamain Sterling has met every conceivable expectation thus far.

The 33-year-old Uniondale, New York, native currently sits atop the Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight division—the seventh man to achieve the distinction. A two-time NCAA All-American wrestler who trains under striking guru Ray Longo and former welterweight titleholder Matt Serra, Sterling has compiled a 13-3 record across 16 appearances since he joined the UFC roster as a highly regarded prospect in 2014. He will carry a seven-fight winning streak into his title defense opposite T.J. Dillashaw in the UFC 280 co-main event on Oct. 22 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

As Sterling moves toward his forthcoming showdown with Dillashaw, a look at five of the many moments that have come to define him:

1. Opening Statement

Sterling made a strong first impression in his Octagon debut when he took a unanimous decision from former Tachi Palace Fights champion Cody Gibson as part of the UFC 170 undercard on Feb. 22, 2014 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. All three cageside judges scored 29-28. The two promising bantamweights split the first two rounds. In the third, Sterling seized control. He delivered a takedown inside the first 30 seconds, threatened Gibson with a brabo choke and then turned to ground-and-pound. Later, Sterling transitioned to the Californian’s back and fished for a fight-ending rear-naked choke before settling for a decision. The loss halted Gibson’s career-best six-fight winning streak.

2. Off Course

World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Raphael Assuncao escaped with a contentious split decision over Sterling in a UFC on Fox 23 bantamweight prelim on Jan. 28, 2017 at the Pepsi Center in Denver. All three members of the cageside judiciary struck 29-28 scorecards: Ron Mann and Ben Ramirez for Assuncao, Hale Hilsabeck for Sterling. Neither fighter seemed all that eager to lead the dance, which resulted in periods of inactivity and a restless crowd. Sterling stayed busy with kicks to the legs and body, even as his opponent returned fire with punches upstairs. Assuncao countered effectively for much of the match, but, as has been the case throughout his career, he struggled with output. Sterling exploited that opening in the third round, where he landed with more regularity, pressured the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt by moving forward and uncorked simple but effective two-punch combinations. Nevertheless, the scorecards favored Assuncao and left the Serra-Longo Fight Team prospect empty-handed following his most significant opportunity to date.

3. Crash and Burn

Former World Series of Fighting champion Marlon Moraes laid waste to Sterling with a nuclear head kick turned knee strike in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 123 bantamweight showcase on Dec. 9, 2017 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. A short-notice fill-in for the injured Rani Yahya, Moraes closed out the Serra-Longo Fight team standout 67 seconds into Round 1. Sterling was never afforded the opportunity to establish a foothold in the match. Moraes drove him to the mat with a clubbing left hand, swooped into top position and extricated himself from an attempted armbar. The Brazilian then invited Sterling to stand. Moments later, Moraes clobbered the onetime Cage Fury Fighting Championships and Ring of Combat titleholder with a knee to the face. Sterling nosedived to the canvas stiff and unconscious, finished for the first time in his 17-fight career.

4. Throttle Up

In what can only be described as a virtuoso performance, the ascendant Sterling submitted Cory Sandhagen with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their UFC 250 bantamweight feature and cemented himself as the No. 1 contender at 135 pounds. Sandhagen conceded defeat 1:28 into Round 1, briefly lost consciousness and awakened to find the “Funk Master” in full-throated celebration. Sterling pressured the Elevation Fight Team representative to the fence, forced a tie-up and maneuvered to the back while still upright. He secured his position with an airtight body triangle, went to work on the choke and eventually snaked his arms in place for the finish.

5. Alone at the Top

Sterling laid claim to the undisputed bantamweight crown when he eked out a split decision over Petr Yan in the UFC 273 co-headliner on April 9, 2022 at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. All three judges scored it 48-47: Sal D’Amato and Eliseo Rodriguez for Sterling, Chris Lee for Yan. Sterling—who held a previous disqualification win over the Russian—executed takedowns in the second and third rounds and piled up more than eight minutes of control time, helping him overcome deficits in the significant strikes landed (62-63) and total strikes landed (91-139) departments. Yan grew stronger as the rematch progressed and was the more efficient striker throughout the 25-minute affair, but his inability to move the American off his desired track—Sterling attempted 22 takedowns—proved costly on the scorecards.